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Showing posts with label blog tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog tour. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

{Book Tour} Vampire Vic by Harris Gray - Book One.


“Victor Barton Thetherson has a self-esteem problem. His ex-wife bullies him. He is manager in a construction accounting firm, yet his staff makes fun of him. His teenaged daughter pretends not to know him. Moreover, she’s not above finding fake fathers to act on his behalf. It seems as if nothing is going well in his life. Oh, and he’s a vampire.” 

Praise for the Series

“The writing in Vampire Vic is lively, smooth, and commercial.  Vic is an extremely sympathetic protagonist, and his struggle to unleash his true vampiric potential and assert himself is a struggle that a lot of readers can relate to. There is a great voice to the writing, and Vic’s internal emotional arc is well-developed.” - Judge, Writer’s Digest 21st Annual Self-Published Book Awards (score 24/25)

“A vampire’s entertaining journey of self-discovery.” - Kirkus Reviews

From Readers on Amazon and Goodreads

“Truly a great book about defining oneself.  Definite read for all of us looking for a new take on the old Vampire.”

"The author's fantastic character development and unusual plot kept me captivated from the
beginning to end. A nice entertaining read that I would recommend to all fantasy fans.”

“A fabulous book and one I would highly recommend.  Even if you think you are sick of vampires, please do yourself a favor and read this book. The writing style is unique and intriguing, and something I’m sure you will enjoy.”

“This unique book draws you in immediately with a storyline that hasn't been done before. The

character development is tremendous, leading the reader to feel compassion, empathy, sadness, anger, and humor throughout the book, because the characters are so relatable. In fact, some of the gut-wrenching difficulties we each go through in relationships are illustrated so vividly, that you forget this book is about a vampire! I found myself drawn to the humanness of Vic, yet rooting for him to bite people!”



Biography of Harris Gray

Harris Gray combines the writing talents of duo Allan Harris and Jason Gray. Together, they have written three novels, two screenplays, a Christmas play and a collection of stories from Jason’s younger days. An early version of their novel Java Man was a finalist in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers contest.  Allan is a former guest columnist for The Denver Post and Jason owns Crowfoot Valley Coffee and Crowbar, land of rumor and embellishment.
Their collaboration began in Jason’s coffee shop. Allan wrote and eavesdropped as Jason entertained his customers. One day, Allan found a little yellow notepad waiting for him, crammed to the margins with Jason’s exploits. Allan typed them, touched them up, and called it good; but Jason had other ideas. As their tales converged and became inseparable, Harris Gray emerged. While the two couldn’t be more different in how they think and write, Harris says, “There is something wonderful and incredibly cohesive when we create a story together.” In Gray’s words, “We’re something less than Sybil and more than Siamese twins.


Vampire Vic, the first installment in the darkly funny and relatable trilogy, launched in March 2013. Readers can add the follow-up, Vampire Vic2: Morbius Reborn, to their bookshelves this fall. Harris Gray also released their standalone novel Java Man in November 2013. 



I'm on the tour and get to read BOTH books in this fresh series. Without rehashing the plot too much, I will tell you that Vic the Vampire isn't the vampire you expect. He's clinging to his humanity, refusing to drink blood that doesn't come from a blood bank, and is so...normal. He's wishywashy with a doormat personality that made it hard to like him initially. When you realize just how NORMAL he is, you start to pay attention more and start cheering for him to go and BITE someone. And then you have people you just want him to bite to death.

Rather than the sparkly vampires or the sexy warrior vampires that seem to define the paranormal genre, we have Vampire Vic...and somehow I think that, should vampirism be truth, this is how it would play out, completely with neighborhood slayer wanna be.

A vivid, funny tale of a newborn vampire who isn't very vicious at all...


Thursday, November 20, 2014

{Blog Tour} HENGE by Realm Lovejoy -- with review and giveaway!



candance_blog_tour_banner_HENGE
Henge by Realm Lovejoy is a YA Fantasy that is a modern spin-off of the Arthurian legends featuring Morgan Le Fay as the protagonist. This tour will consist of reviews, interviews & guest posts. Check out the full schedule for more information.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

{Blog Tour} MIRRORED TIME by JD Faulkner


Title: Mirrored Time
Author: J.D. Faulkner
Series: A Time Archivist Novel (Book 1)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 7 2014
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
First it was water.

Then blood.

And finally smoke.

Gwen Conway never knew there were so many ways to die. Honestly, it was something she would have been happy not knowing.

Maybe, they really are just dreams. Nightmares. But they won't stop. And dreaming of her death is getting old. Then there's the sleepwalking. She'd like to pass on that too.

Gwen's pretty sure the dreams have something to do with her new job. Which of course, is definitely not just a 'job.'

Don't get her wrong, working for the Archiver of the Time Streams has its perks. Having the power to travel to any past or future time is fantastic. Plus, there's Rafe, the ex-gladiator from the future. She'd like to keep him around too. Not that she would tell him that. It'd go straight to his head.

But she's less than pleased to find herself in the middle of a time travelers' war. Especially against a crazed half-god who has the power to obliterate the existence of any time or place. And the Guardians, her so called allies? All the help they offer are strict rules and smug superiority. Plus, they seem convinced she's already lost, that she's already died.

Gwen is starting to wonder whether she should have read her employment contract more carefully.

Borrowing themes from Greek and Roman legends such as Pandora and the war between the Titans and Olympians, lovers of mythology and fantasy alike will enjoy this mind-bending romp through different times and universes. Well-grounded in the world of today, this urban fantasy stands out from the pack with its complex theories on time travel and unique brand of quirky humor.

Book Links

Author Information
J.D. Faulkner lives in Seattle, Washington. She spends her time reading anything she can get her hands on; studying Greek and Roman mythology; and avoiding the rain whenever she can. MIRRORED TIME is her first novel and book one of the Time Archivist Novels. Currently, she is working on the second book of the series, FRACTURED TIME.



Author Links
    



What a marvelous debut novel! If you liked that TNT movie THE LIBRARIAN with Noah Wylie, you'll love MIRRORED TIME as it has a similar start. Instead of The Library, it's The Archives, and instead of Noah Wylie, you have this lovely, caring, slightly lost young woman named Gwen who is about to discover that all she thought about her world is not necessarily true and not necessarily set in stone...

I always try to keep my reviews spoiler free and it's very hard not to gush about something that took you by surprise or a character whom you utterly adore or a love interest that you swear is your new book boyfriend, etc. From Cappuccino the Cat to Alistair to Gwen, the characters are incredibly faceted and show wonderful depth, and Faulkner did a wonderful job building the world.

There's a nice twist that you won't see coming and you'll be happy to spend your hours in the pages of Mirrored Time! 




Time crept by, and her one accomplishment was listening to the steady ticking of her clock. With a huff, she shoved away the legal files and rubbed her temples. She peeked at Alistair’s desk from underneath a curtain of hair, but he still hadn’t magically appeared. The main office was empty. Just like it had been a few seconds ago.
Going home would be better than sitting here and obsessing. She slipped on her coat, planning to leave. Her feet stayed rooted to the floor. Honestly. It couldn’t hurt to check the mirror before bringing it up to Alistair. She could figure out how Rafe had tricked her. Then she would have an answer. So I can stop obsessing.
 “Sorry, Alistair,” she whispered to his desk before stepping into the dark hallway of the Archives. Pausing outside the room, her thumb ran over the cool metal of the door handle. Whatever happened, it would be the end of the mystery—maybe the end of her hope. Her aunt’s words echoed in her mind. I would live, my girl, live.
This time there was no glowing light. With more effort than she would care to admit, she stepped into the darkened room. She needed to know the truth. And whatever happened, she would never forgive herself for running away. Lying to herself was no longer an option. As crazy as it was, she wanted the possibility to be real. What if everything she knew about life was a lie? What if magic did exist?
The room was silent as she stared at her reflection, her eyes wide but determined. She raised her hand, watching her reflection reach up to meet her. Her fingers encountered the cool, and solid, surface of the mirror.
The stab of disappointment was sharp. So, the world was as she always had imagined it. It didn’t hide any secrets involving magic mirrors. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, you’re not so special after all.
Her fingers ran over the glass. She didn’t know how Rafe had done it, but she would figure it out. At the very least, she had revenge. She smiled at the idea of paying Rafe back. Her reflection’s smile widened with her own, fingers following the opposite path. There would be hell to pay, that’s for sure. Didn’t they always say ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?’ She laughed, palm pushed flat against the mirror. Magic mirror, indeed. Now she needed to find Rafe.
With her thoughts so centered on Rafe and her revenge, it took a moment for her to notice the light. When her palm sank into the mirror, she stared as liquid silver lapped up her arm. She tried to jerk back but the mirror wouldn’t let her. It continued to pull her in. Gravity lurched with a dizzying shift, and she fell into the mirror with a scream.
It echoed in the empty room.  


Monday, August 18, 2014

{Blog Tour} LORE - an anthology --- with review and giveaway


Lore: Tales of Myth and Legend Retold
Authors: Brinda Berry, Cate Dean, Jayne A. Knolls, Karen Y. Bynum, Laura Diamond, Theresa DaLayne
(Anthology)
Publication date: March 2014
Genres: Young Adult

Synopsis:
A collection of six folklore retellings that will twist your mind and claim your heart.

SHIMMER: A heartbroken boy rescues a mermaid… but is it too late to save her?

BETWEEN is about a girl, a genie, and a ton of bad decisions.

SUNSET MOON: Eloise doesn’t believe in Native American magic–until the dreamcatcher spiders spin her down an unknown path.

THE MAKER: An incapacitated young man bent on revenge builds a creature to do it for him.

A BEAUTIFUL MOURNING: The story of a Maya goddess torn between duty and love, and the ultimate sacrifice she must make to achieve true happiness.

THE BARRICADES: When a human girl risks everything to save the life of an Eternal prince, will their feelings for each other change the world they know, or tear it apart?

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

 LORE is a collection of six stories that are all myths or legends retold. I found all six of the stories entertaining, but realized that, no matter how many times I've tried, short stories and anthologies in general are just not for me. They make me long for more and I often feel the stories are unfinished or not fleshed out enough.

In Summer by Brinda Berry, we have this lovely romantic tale of 2 young, heartbroken teens who befriend one another one summer. When she reveals her secret, the boy recoils for a bit in shock, further hurting the girl. They reconcile, but then she disappears. It was a sweet story if a tad frustrating.

In Between by Karen Bynum, we have a twist on the genie tale, a sad but poignant story. We have two teenage girls; one who is unrepentant about her sexuality, another who is constantly looking for approval from her mother regarding looks, social status, etc. Those are constantly placed higher than her emotional well-being and health. I didn't really care for the characters in this story, but the emotion is undeniable.

Sunset Moon by Laura Diamond is based off a Blackfeet Indian myth. I really wanted this story to be longer. Eloise, the main character, is a totally stupid twit who is putting up this fake attitude of indifference. She's in an abusive relationship, just like her mother was years ago. Her mother is a drunk and doesn't mother Eloise at all. Micah is a useless piece of trash as is Jimmy and here is Eloise taking the fall for two losers. She gets the choice: jail or group home. Her lawyer chose group home for her and she's shipped off to Montana to her uncle's house. There she recognizes little symbols from her grandmother who always tried to give her a piece of Blackfeet history/mythology with every present, every lesson. As Eloise begins her group home work of sitting with an elderly patient, she learns that her weird dream with the spiders cocooning her is actually a legend, a living legend. Again, this is one story I would LOVE to read more of and see the story fleshed out in more detail with what happens with Eloise, her mother, her loser of a boyfriend, etc. Sure, I disliked Eloise, but that intensity of dislike shows how well written she is!

The Maker by Jayne A Knolls is a golem story. Brett is a spoiled rich kid with a beautiful girlfriend. They get into a car accident one night, Cassandra walks away, and she doesn't even call 911 until much later an anonymously.  Brett had brain damage and, had she called immediately, it may not have been as severe, but because she walked away like she did, Brett can now barely walk, can no longer read which was one of his prime passions, and has a pretty grim looking future. He comes from a very old family who guard a secret power. Brett decides to use this power to take revenge. There is one discrepancy in this story that bugged me, although it's small and easily ignored. The ending of this story is sad.

A Beautiful Mourning by Theresa DaLayne is the story of a Mayan goddess and her lover. She is the goddess of flowers, her lover is the Sun. This has the elements of true myths -- romance, denial, heartache, friendship, with a ending that is not a happily ever after as there are still problems, but as happy as you can get. Very romantic story that shows that gods are just as susceptible to mistakes as humans.

The Barricade by Cate Dean was by far my favorite story in this anthology. However, it left me wanting MORE. Ms Dean takes the Fae mythology and plunks them on a different planet. Here, humans and the fae fled the earth to start anew, to work together, and the Fae eventually took over desiring to be worshipped, shoving the humans out into desolation after they helped build a beautiful city. A human girl and a fae noble boy are about to turn the opinions of the world. Great story, but what killed me is that...it ended just as it was beginning. I must look for Cate Dean's books and see if there are any in this storyline coming up!

All in all, this was an enjoyable anthology of six stories taking a twist on myths and legends. Again, I say that anthologies are not for me. What I do like about anthologies is that they can be read in bits and pieces and are perfect to squeeze in when you're sitting in waiting room, or a lunch break, etc. If you like myths, legends, and retellings, I'd recommend you give this one a whirl. You may not be familiar with some of the originals (I wasn't for the Mayan one or the Blackfeet one), but that doesn't detract from the enjoyable factor in my opinion! 

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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

{Blog Tour} FRACTURED by ERIN HAYES -- with review and giveaway

http://xpressobooktours.com/2014/05/20/tour-sign-up-fractured-by-erin-hayes/
Fractured by Erin Hayes
Publication date: July 8th 2014
Genres: Adult, Horror
Synopsis:
Blinded by a mysterious seizure when she was three years old, Bash Martin has managed to carve out a normal life for herself as an adult. Yet she still yearns for a deeper connection with her twin sister Lily, who has always been jealous of the attention their parents bestowed upon Bash due to her disability.

A dream vacation seems like the perfect chance to heal their relationship, but Bash soon realizes there is something terribly wrong with Lily and that her sister is hiding a dark secret. And when a supernatural fire engulfs their hotel and corpses come back to life, the sisters are plunged into a nightmarish world that threatens not only their lives, but their very souls.


FRACTURED is billed as an adult horror novel and if that brings to mind horror movies for you, then this is spot on.

With a brief background of twin sisters and a freak occurrence that costs one of them her sight, we fast-forward twenty years later. Bash & Lily are the epitome of good twin/evil twin. Despite being blind, Bash is a very happy, caring person. Lily is unhappy, selfish, and, quite frankly, off her rocker. Much like it would be in a movie, Lily angers you with her selfishness, bitchiness, crazy assumptions, and actions, but you are even more annoyed with Bash for constantly defending her, rescuing her, and forgiving her.

As the two women embark on a ski trip with friends, it quickly turns sour with Bash's fiance's younger brother breaking his arm. At the dinner afterwards, Seth is trying to bring good news to their trip and announces that Bash agreed to marry him. Lily explodes with anger as Seth was supposed to fall in love with her and not her sister. She curses at them and suddenly everyone in that hotel is trapped by a blazing inferno, and those who die reanimate...

For those who love horror movies, this is an excellent book for you. It has that right blend of tension, crazy, horror, innocents caught in the crossfire, and scary situations. I found that I couldn't put the book down and wanted to read it all in one sitting to see how it would end, if there's a HEA, etc. I don't want to say much about the story itself in fear of giving it away, but I found the mythology interesting and the way it unfurled very sad. 
__
AUTHOR BIO
Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist, Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books, like the fantasy mystery Death is but a Dream and the sci-fi middle grade book Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average.
You can reach her at tiptoegirl87@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

{Blog Tour} Crimson & Cream by CM Skiera


Title: Crimson & Cream
Author: C.M. Skiera
Series: The Oxbow Kingdom Trilogy (#1)
Genre: Epic Fantasy (YA/Swords & Sorcery/Coming-of-Age)
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 1 2014 (Second Edition)
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook (Digital)
Blurb/Synopsis:
 Hounded by watchmen, trolls, goblins, and a relentless bounty hunter, thirteen-year-old Jetsam dreams of the day he’ll no longer have to run for his life.  A victim of circumstance burdened with an interminable unlucky streak, each sunrise ushers in more difficulty for the resilient adolescent.  An avalanche of life-changing events forces him to boldly decide his future.
In the mountain city of Dwim-Halloe, Eidryn and Elvar were born twins to teachers at the city’s revered School of Sorcery. When the new king outlawed magic, the boys’ parents were murdered. Their deaths forfeited the siblings' magical birthright and made them homeless fugitives.
Rescued by an orphan gang, the water-logged twins were nicknamed Flotsam and Jetsam. To survive as outcasts, the orphans scavenge and pilfer nightly. Their last risky foray sent them fleeing into an unfamiliar cavern. Now the brothers are lost deep underground where they encounter a strange beast that will change their lives forever and begin a harrowing journey for their ultimate survival.
Crimson & Cream recounts Jetsam’s adventurous tale of flight and discovery as the fugitive orphan unravels the tangled mysteries his tortured past while securing his tenuous future.

Book Links

Author Information



C.M. Skiera grew up in Michigan and now lives in California with his wife and two rescue Chihuahuas. He works as a professional environmental engineer to pay the bills and has been writing since the mid 1990s. Crimson & Cream is his debut epic fantasy novel. He started writing Crimson & Cream in 1999, and after lots of twists and turns, 13 drafts, plenty of rejections, the arrival of the 21st Century and the advent of online self-publishing, the ebook is finally here. C.M. Skiera is currently finalizing Mirrors & Mist, book two of The Oxbow Kingdom Trilogy. An avid reader, C.M. Skiera enjoys a compelling story, regardless of genre, though speculative fiction novels are some of his favorites.

Author Links


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

{Blog Tour} DIVISION ZERO by Matthew S Cox -- with review and giveaway


Division Zero by Matthew S. Cox
(Division Zero #1)
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: March 7th 2014
Genres: cyberpunk, New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:
Most cops get to deal with living criminals, but Agent Kirsten Wren is not most cops.

A gifted psionic with a troubled past, Kirsten possesses a rare combination of abilities that give her a powerful weapon against spirits. In 2418, rampant violence and corporate warfare have left no shortage of angry wraiths in West City. Most exist as little more than fleeting shadows and eerie whispers in the darkness.

Kirsten is shunned by a society that does not understand psionics, feared by those who know what she can do, and alone in a city of millions. Every so often, when a wraith gathers enough strength to become a threat to the living, these same people rely on her to stop it.

Unexplained killings by human-like androids known as dolls leave the Division One police baffled, causing them to punt the case to Division Zero. Kirsten, along with her partner Dorian, wind up in the crosshairs of corporate assassins as they attempt to find out who – or what – is behind the random murders before more people die.

She tries to hold on to the belief that no one is beyond redemption as she pursues a killer desperate to claim at least one more innocent soul – that might just be hers.


Goodreads | Amazon | B&N  |Kobo 



Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.

Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour He is also fond of cats.

Awards: Prophet of the Badlands (excerpt) – Honorable Mention – Writers of the Future
Author Links:
http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/wordpress/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7712730.Matthew_S_Cox
https://www.facebook.com/MatthewSCoxAuthor
https://twitter.com/mscox_fiction



Curiosity Quills Press is fast becoming a favorite publisher of mine. They seem to have that special knack that finds authors like Matthew Cox, who can weave a story that whisks you away, submerging you in the plot and characters, and make your reality melt away for a few precious hours.

Kirsten Wren is a psionic cop from Division Zero in 2148. First off...let's talk about how much I love the fact that the author gave us an exact year. So often, futuristic books are just left as post-apocalyptic without a definite time frame. I like books like this one where you're given a time frame; I think it makes it easier to suppose everything.

I don't quite know what to compare this book to that will encompass what you're getting. It's futuristic, gritty, detective/cop action, thriller. And yet all those adjectives don't quite grasp the story in its entirety. Cox has created characters with bite and personality, with histories that are visceral, quirks that make you smile, and action that keeps you moving while our heroine unravels the mystery of the murderous AIs. There were some hints regarding her partner early on in the book that made me question him. When we finally are shown, my doubts reared up again and it was this wonderful AHA! moment. I love those moments as you read! I certainly hope this isn't the last book set in Division Zero. I would happily read more and look forward to watching characters and relationships develop from case to case. 


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Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win and to see other reviews! http://xpressobooktours.com/2014/04/03/tour-sign-up-division-zero-by-matthew-s-cox/